Choosing Sides
by Former Angel
Summary: The wars are over, peace reigns right? Right... When a thief breaks into Preventor headquarters, a chain of events unfold that no one could have possibly imagined. Rated for future chapters (if any) a reworking of my 1st ever fanfic, all comments and c
1. Enter the Players

Standard Disclaimer:  I own nothing pertaining to Gundam Wing, I'm merely an  overworked, overstressed college student who needs a hobby to keep from going insane.  All original characters do belong to me though, so please ask to use them if you'd like to kill/torture/maim any of them.  Thank you.

AN:  Okay, just a quick note, this is a reworking of the first fanfic I ever wrote, since the first version was (to steal a word from my delightful little muse/beta reader) "crapola"  So I decided that since I'm a college girl now, I'll try to tweak it a little and see what happens since  the first version was less than satisfying.  If it still sucks feel free to say so in a review; all flames will be thoroughly laughed at before they are put to use either warming the dorm room or for making s'mores.  Mmmmmm…s'mores…  Of course all comments and constructive criticism are welcomed with open arms.  

A quick thanks to my oh-so-patient and witty beta reader Niko, and it's on to the story.

Choosing Sides:  Chapter 1

Enter the Players

~Monday morning, 10:45 am, Preventer headquarters, Earthsphere~

There was a tense quality to the phone call Lady Une was having.  Apparently a new enemy had surfaced, one who had yet to commit any truly heinous crime, yet rumors of his possible plans of conquest flew wildly across the colonies and the Earthsphere.  Normally, such rumors would have been ignored as just that, rumors, but when two high ranking Preventors with level 5 security clearance disappeared within a week of each other, it couldn't be assumed that it was just a coincidence.  Nor could it be assumed that her superiors would be pleased with the situation.  She was currently listening to the latest demands for progress in the investigation.  She knew that the news she had wasn't going to be gladly received.

"Sir, we have had a development of sorts.  We found the body of what we believe is one of the Preventers that went missing." A pause followed as she heard the incredulous reply to her claim. "Well, sir, we can't be one hundred percent positive because extensive damage was sustained and…No sir, identifying a body _isn't_ that difficult of a task usually, but…Sir, the Preventers are not as incompetent as you make them out to be.  They can only do so much when they don't have all the pieces…With all do respect sir, I meant that in a literal sense, the complications in this case are the fact that there are several pieces of the corpse missing and they have yet to be found."

She waited for the following tirade to wind down before she continued. "Yes sir, I realize what a blow this is to the office of the Preventers, and you can rest assured that we have every available Preventer on the case…Of course you'll be notified the second we have any news…Yes sir, you can expect an updated report this afternoon by three at the latest…Yes sir, we _will_ find who is behind this.  Goodbye."

She hung up the phone and rubbed her temples where a headache was starting.  Sighing she glanced at the clock and winced inwardly, realizing she had a meeting in less than an hour to brief the newest operatives on the case.  That would be only marginally less stressful than the phone call.  A tap at her door had her composing herself before calling for the person to enter.  She smiled briefly as her secretary escorted Chang Wufei and Sally Po inside.  

"Good afternoon."  She greeted them.  "I asked you here to inform you of a few unexpected circumstances of the case."  She motioned for them to sit before she began.  "First of all, I'm recruiting some outside help, if you will.  I feel that these disappearances and possible double homicide are part of something bigger than what the Preventers can normally handle.  As a result, I'm calling in the rest of the former Gundam pilots to aid us."

"Did the department heads actually agree to that?"  Sally asked.

"Yes, but reluctantly.  After I explained to them some of the more recent developments, though, it was agreed that any aid we can get would be beneficial.  The sooner we figure out who's behind this, the sooner he can be stopped."

"When will they be here?"  This question was from Wufei.

"Quatre Winner agreed to take a few days off and will be here sometime within the next few days.  Duo Maxwell will be coming around the same time, and Heero Yuy is already on his way.  We have yet to contact Trowa Barton, as we don't know where his circus is currently performing, but with luck we should reach him and have him here by the end of the week at the latest."

"Granted, we can always use the help, but why are you telling us now instead of at the meeting this afternoon?"  Sally wondered, as though speaking her thoughts aloud.

"I need the two of you to head the operation," admitted Une  "I'm basically giving you and the pilots free reign over the investigation.  This has become a top priority case.  We need to find the missing Preventer so we can determine just how much of our operation has been compromised and we need to do it soon.  It's absolutely vital that we stop this, whatever it is, before it grows beyond our control.  Do you understand?"

Sally and Wufei nodded and Lady Une sighed. "Good.  Dismissed."  They left and Une massaged her temples once more, mentally bracing herself for the upcoming meeting.  She knew that many of the higher level Preventors weren't going to happy with bringing in outsiders to handle the case, especially now that it had become a personal blow by killing one of their own, but they would have to accept it.  They needed all the help they could get to solve this before it mushroomed into something bigger.  Who knew what this mystery adversary had up his sleeve?

~Later that day, somewhere on L4~

It was a pleasant night.  Granted, it would've been better on earth where she could watch the sunset, but overall, it was nice enough.  Times of peace and quiet were hard to come by, but she supposed it came with the job.  Right now, she was content to simply lean back on the window seat and close her eyes, letting the relative calm wash over her.  A knock on the door jarred her thoughts and she groaned.  She knew this was too good to last…

"Melanie?  You in here?"  A voice called from the living room.  "Come here, I've got great news."

She let a small smile play across her lips.  "Does the news involve you having a degenerative disease and dying soon so I can have some peace?"  She called back.

A head poked through the doorway of the bedroom.  "Ouch, that hurts Mel, that really hurts.  C'mon, aren't you the least bit curious about why I'm so joyful."

She eyed the man in the doorway.  Eager hazel eyes stared at her from underneath a fringe of wild red hair.  "Seth, the last time you were in such a great mood, I ended up with streaks of blue put through my hair."

Seth stared appreciatively at the midnight black mass that tumbled down her back, stopping midway to just below her elbows.  The random blue streaks down the back and around her face added color and he knew she liked it no matter what she said.  Ignoring her comment he strode into the bedroom towards the window and tugged at her arm, pulling her to her feet.  

"Come on, you're going to love this.  Let's go out to the kitchen so we can talk."

"We can talk here."  she grumbled sourly, but reluctantly walked to the small kitchen where she noted a bottle of wine on the table with two glasses.  She turned to face Seth, suspicion evident in her face, turning her usual silver eyes a shade darker.

"What's going on here Seth?"

"We're celebrating!  I just got wind of the mother of all deals and we're going to be filthy rich when it's done with."

"This is what you dragged me out here for?  To squeal over the latest job you've set up?  Seth, I swear I'm going to hurt you."  
  


"Just hear me out Mel!  This particular client practically asked for you by name, with the criteria he set out!  Someone who can get into high-level security buildings without getting caught, who knows their way around a computer system, and can extract information quickly without being traced.  You're perfect for it!"

"And just what building is this client referring to?"

Seth flushed slightly, "Um, Preventer headquarters on Earth?" he rushed on before Melanie could open her mouth to protest.  "It's not as bad as it sounds, really!  It'd be after hours with only a minimum number of guards, and you probably won't even run into the ex Gundam pilot who works there!"

"What!?  No, no, and _hell_ no!  I'm a good thief, but I'm not _that_ good.  And I'm not stupid either!  There's no way in hell I'm going up against Gundam pilots thank you _very_ much."

"Come on Mel!" Seth coaxed in a wheedling tone "The client wants the best, so I'm trying to give him the best! A little cooperation would be nice."

"Seth!"  Melanie warned. Before she could go any further he plunged ahead.

"Besides I said _ex_ Gundam pilot, and there's only one.  I also said you probably wouldn't run into him."

"That doesn't matter.  I'm not doing it.  Besides, I've already told you I'm retired."

"You're 18, Mel, you're too young to retire."  
  
"Not in this business."  
  


"Okay, I admit, you did have a close call last time, and that's enough to make a lot of people rethink their career choice but…"  
  


"Yeah!! A close call because _you_ gave me wrong information about the security setup!! You're lucky I didn't shoot you then, and if you don't stop pissing me off, I just might shoot you now to shut you up!"  
  


She watched vaguely amused as Seth paled, causing the freckles that peppered his face to seem even darker in comparison.  

"Whoa!"  He put his hands up in a gesture of surrender and took a step back.  "Just hear me out for a second, Mel.  Think about this, we were offered a cool two million if you could pull this off.  You could retire for real after this one for sure!"

He watched as her normally pale, translucent skin took on a flushed hue.  Her eyes flashed icy as diamonds.  "You think I'd do it just because a lot of money was promised?  I'm _not_ that shallow Seth!"

"Okay, wrong argument, but Mel, think of the _power. _You pull this off and you'll more than earn your reputation as Queen of Thieves.  You'll be the only one to ever break the Preventors' system without getting caught.  Think of the rush of knowing that you're able to get in and out of that place when no other thief can!"

Melanie chewed thoughtfully on her lower lip as she contemplated this. Seth had a point, and he was playing to her pride, damn him!  She _would_ be the only thief to ever make that claim, just the thought brought a smirk to her lips and she could feel that quiver of anticipation she got before going off on a job.  She looked up at Seth and grinned.  

"All right, you win.  Go tell your client he's got a deal."  

"Yes!"  Seth grabbed the Polaroid camera he'd stashed on the counter and yanked Melanie over in front of him.  Turning her until her back was to him, he draped an arm across her shoulders and hugged her with one arm while he aimed the camera with the other.

"Smile!  We're about to make history!"  
  
Melanie looked annoyed.  "Seth, you _do_ realize I could break your arm and toss you over my shoulder in two seconds, don't you?"

"Yeah, but then you'd break the camera, and my face is supposed to do that, remember?"

Melanie couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth and she reluctantly faced the camera just as Seth pushed the button.  The flash went off and Seth pulled the picture out, taking time to toss it on the counter with the camera before opening the wine.  He poured two glasses and handed one to Melanie.  

He raised his glass in a toast "Here's to the Queen!  Melanie, you're going to be the talk of the Preventors for a long time to come."

Melanie took a sip of wine and grinned. "At least I'll retire in style.  Get me the details Seth, and double-check everything.  If all goes well, I'll leave in two days and be back by the end of the week."

~5:45am, Tuesday morning, Preventer headquarters, Earthsphere~

The streets were quiet, deathly still, almost, save for vague movement in the shadows beside the building.  Grunts could be heard as two men moved their cargo as close to the front door as they dared.  

"Goddamn he's heavy!  I thought Preventors were supposed to be in good shape!" Cut a low voice through the darkness.

"Quit your bitching!" The second man hissed back.  "Do you _want_ to be caught, asshole?"

With a resounding thump, they dropped the body they were carrying.  

"They should find him when it's light, despite what our boss did to him, he'll live until then."  The second man decided.  "Just long enough to deliver our message."  He reached down and grabbed the Preventor's head.  "You remember what you're supposed to pass on to your superiors?" he demanded.

A moan of pain was his only answer.

He shook the body roughly.  "You just remember to give them Chameleon's greeting before you die."  He released his hold and listened to the thump of flesh connecting with the pavement. "Let's get out of here."

The two men slunk back into the shadows and vanished.

~Two hours later~

Lady Une was in her office going over the morning's agenda when the door to her office burst open and a young Preventer hastily gasped, "They found him!  The missing operative, he's in the hospital wing!"

She set out immediately to check on the situation.  When she arrived, Sally and Wufei were already present with the doctor.  Lady Une approached and immediately demanded the details of the situation.

The doctor looked grim.  "Apparently he was found by the side of the building by one of the cleaning staff when they were taking out garbage.  He's in terrible shape and it doesn't look like he'll survive. There's evidence of long-term torture.  His femur, tibia and fibula have been completely crushed and his arms don't look any better, the humerus, radius and ulna are just as damaged.  It appears every single bone in them has been systematically broken, one by one, though God alone knows what they must've used to break only one bone at a time.  From the fracture points and the way the bones are splintered, that's how it must've been done though.  I've never seen any breaks as bad as his.  Whoever did this to him was very deliberate and very methodical.  I would say he's been brutally beaten for a long period of time and it looks like someone used him as target practice for a knife throwing competition.  There's so much internal trauma, I'm surprised he's still alive now.  There's no way I can save him, even if he had found been found earlier."

Lady Une nodded.  "Is he comfortable?'

The doctor shrugged helplessly.  "That's pretty much all we _can_ do for him."

"Is he conscious?"

"Yes, and coherent for now; he was able to sign a DNR order before I anesthetized him.  I realize you wish to question him, but it can't last long.  He's on a steady morphine drip, but he's still hurting.  I'm going to end up having to give him a sedative so he can sleep.  It'll be easier for him until he…" the doctor trailed off.

Lady Une sighed, "Has his family been notified?"

"He has none that we could find records of."

"Alright, thank you doctor."  Lady Une motioned for Wufei and Sally to come with her and they approached the bed the missing Preventor had been placed in.  She winced inwardly at the numerous bruises that decorated his face before she spoke.

"Preventor Takada?  Can you hear me?"

A groan emanated from the bed.  "Lady…Une?'

"Yes.  I need you to try and tell me who did this to you.  Who are we looking for?"

"Man…calls himself…Chameleon.  Powerful…many followers…" Another groan was emitted as Takada attempted to shift himself into a more comfortable position.

"Can you tell us anything else?"  Sally asked.

Takada drew a painful breath. "Wants…war…Earthsphere…and colonies…control…"

"He wants another war, and to control everything?"  Wufei tried to clarify, trying and not succeeding terribly well in hiding his distaste and sarcasm, despite the situation.

"Yesss…." Takada gasped.  A choked breath escaped him and his body convulsed suddenly.  The monitor by his bedside fluctuated wildly before the long peal of a flatline sounded.  

The doctor came over and checked the patient's pupils and attempted to find a pulse.  With a sigh he dropped the wrist he was holding and rubbed his eyes.  "Time of death, 8:02."  He announced wearily.

Lady Une reached over to close Takada's unseeing eyes.  She looked over to Wufei and Sally and began giving orders.  "Recall every operative who isn't on a high priority mission back to headquarters.  It doesn't matter if they're on reconnaissance or escort detail; if it's not a matter of life or death, pull them out!  I want a roll call and confirmation of everyone we haven't heard from in more than two days.  If this…Chameleon has anyone else, we need to know who they are and how long he's had them.  Call an emergency meeting for later today so every Preventer can be briefed on the situation, and I mean _every_ operative, if they're on a mission somewhere, conference call them. Understood?"  She waited for Sally and Wufei to affirm the orders before continuing 

"As for headquarters itself, we're stepping up the security, more guards on every watch, even the midnight shift, no one works alone anymore until this guy is caught.  I also want a team searching for everything they can find on anyone who's remotely related to any codename that is or resembling Chameleon."  She dismissed them and turned back to the doctor who was prepping the body for the mandatory autopsy.  "Doctor?  Make sure this man gets a proper burial, he's certainly earned it."  She left the room, the sound of her footsteps fading down the hallway.  Her mind was racing with what had just transpired, and to tell the truth, the situation unnerved her. She now had many phone calls to make, and she knew nobody was going to like what she had to say.

~L4 Colony, mid-afternoon, Melanie's house~

Seth knocked on the front door before opening it and walking inside.   He had a disk with the requested information for Melanie to look over in his hand and duffel bag slung over his shoulder.  He figured she was preparing herself in her bedroom and headed in that direction.  Walking across the living room and down the narrow hallway, he came to her bedroom door and pushed it open.  Melanie was by the bed, with a small bag opened; she was in the middle of packing.  Seth grinned. She wasn't wasting any time.

"Hey Mel! I've got that - holy shit!"  He jumped back as Melanie whirled and pointed a gun in his direction.  "Jeez, Mel it's just me!"

Melanie lowered the gun and clicked the safety back on before placing it on the bed. "Seth! You know better than to sneak up on me like that." She stated calmly.

"I wasn't sneaking Melanie, I knocked on the front door before I came in for God's sake!"  He leaned against the wall and drew a steadying breath.  "I think you just took ten years off my life!"

"I'm not that lucky."  she retorted before turning her attention back to the items on the bed. Without looking up she held out her hand. "You brought the details I'm guessing?"

Seth handed over the disk.  "You got it."

Melanie took the disk to the laptop that sat on the nightstand by her bed.  She booted up the system and slid the disk into the appropriate drive, accessing the information.

Looking over the blueprints, she noted the possible entry and exit points before she opened the guard schedule.  Examining the information there she calculated the approximate window of time she would have to get in and out without being detected.  A small smile played across her lips as she moved on to the security setup.  It looked like it would take anyone a week to get past the first two checkpoints.  With luck she could get through them all in half an hour, forty-five minutes, tops.

She chuckled, "I love a challenge."   she turned to face Seth who was watching her from the doorway with a grin on his face.  "What?" she growled.

"Nothing Mel, it's just fun to watch you work, that's all.  You get this intense look on your face along with a confident little smirk."  He shrugged.  "It's kinda cute."

Melanie arched an eyebrow at the description. "Cute?  You're an ass Seth."

"It's the truth Mel, you can bitch all you want about retirement, but you enjoy this kind of work and you'll miss it when you finally do give it up."  
  


Melanie frowned, knowing he was right the bastard, he usually was about stuff like this.  She shook her head to dispel the thought.  "Thank you O Wise One, but can we get back on track here?  What's the client's timeline?"

"Two weeks from tomorrow, he wants the disk in hand.  The payment will be wired to your account after he's sure the info he asked for is all there.  Now don't get insulted!"  He warned as Melanie opened her mouth to protest "He's already made a down payment in good faith, half of the promised fee's in the bank already, you can check it yourself if you want."

Melanie relaxed and did just that, reassured that they weren't going to be cheated.  "All right, let me grab the necessary equipment, I'll take the last shuttle leaving for Earth tonight.  It'll take me at least two days to look over the place before I even try to get in.  After that, another day to get the actual job done and get off Earth.  Give me a couple of grace days to account for any complications and I should be back in about a week."

Looking up from her packing, she asked  "Is there any information on the ex Gundam pilot I should know?"

"It's Chang Wufei, from the colony that was L5, former pilot of the Gundam Altron.  As far as I know he's got security detail, but that's only during the day.  They keep a skeleton crew during the night shift.  This is pretty recent intel, Melanie.  It's only two days old."

Melanie sighed, "Can you blame me for being suspicious?"

"No, you're always thorough, you have to be, and I know that."  He watched as Melanie zipped the bag shut and continued rattling off the necessary information.  "You're checked into a hotel three blocks from Preventor headquarters under the name Meredith Jensen; you were raised in the colonies.  So any intense scrutiny you make of little details will be indulged and laughed at in all likelihood; anyone will assume you're just awed at what the Earth is like."

Melanie nodded in approval.  "Pretty decent cover story Seth, good work."

"I know."  He grinned.  "Everything else you need is on the disk.  When you get back, we're going out for an expensive dinner to celebrate and then we're getting you a bigger place."  
  


"I like the place I have now."  Melanie stated absently as she checked an ammo clip for one of her guns. "It works for me, and that's what matters.  Just because you stay here when I'm out on a job doesn't mean you have a say in where I live."

"Point taken.  I'll just get myself a penthouse with my cut then."  He laughed as Melanie rolled her eyes at him.  "C'mon Mel, ya know you love me!"

"Jury's still out on that one, right now I just tolerate your presence."  She snapped back.

Seth laughed.  "Don't get all sentimental on me Mel, you're getting ready for a job, remember?"

"Sentimental.  Ha!  The day I get sentimental over you is the day you die!  I'll cry tears of joy you arrogant little bastard."  She spat at him.  The effect of the words was ruined by the grin on her face and the mischievous light in her eyes.  

They stared at each other for a long while, each daring the other to turn away first.  Finally, Seth threw his head back and laughed loudly.  "God Mel, you're twisted, I love it!  Finish getting ready, I'll take you out to dinner before you leave."

Melanie tossed a pillow at him.  "Go get things set up for yourself in the guest room you moron, and let me get ready for work!"

Seth dodged, "Mel, if you ever stopped being a sarcastic bitch, I'd drop dead on the spot." He disappeared from the doorway.  

Melanie shook her head, grumbling just loud enough for him to hear, "I should be so lucky." Turning her attention back to the weapons she had laid out on the bed, she picked up her favorite knife, a large, 7-inch blade with a silver-inlaid wooden handle, complete with matching leather sheath and belt.  She carefully laid it in one of the hidden compartments of her bag.  After making sure she had enough ammo for her guns as well as her lock picking kit, she zipped the bag shut.  Setting it and her laptop by the door, she went to meet Seth for dinner, her mind already going over her route through Preventer headquarters.

~The next night, Preventor headquarters~

Melanie cursed Seth silently.  Once again, he'd given her bad information.  There was twice the number of guards than what he'd originally said, even on the midnight shift.  She moved from her spot in the shadows of the building across from Preventer headquarters.  She made her way back to the hotel where she was staying and once in her room grabbed her laptop and flopped on the bed. 

Opening the computer she waited impatiently for it to start up. Once online, she accessed the email account she used while on jobs, the only one Seth could use to contact her and sent him a message.

We need to talk, now!  Find a secure vidphone frequency and send it back.  Response expected within the hour.

She knew Seth monitored his own laptop for communications from her at least once an hour while she was on a job, in case any complications arose.  He would get back to her soon.

She didn't have long to wait.  Twenty minutes later, her computer beeped and she checked the responding message giving the requested frequency and the promise of a call in the next 10 minutes.

When the call was connected, Melanie wasted little time getting to the point.

"Seth you had better find a damn good place to hide by the time I get back to L4!" She warned the static filled picture in front of her.

"Mel, what's wrong?"  He took in the look of barely concealed fury and winced.

"What's wrong?  Once again you give me wrong information concerning security setup and you ask what's wrong?  Remind me again why I haven't killed you yet!"

"Hey, that information was as recent as I could get and I told you as much.  How much different is the actual setup?"

"The guard number has been doubled.  I went to go in tonight, only to find two guards instead of one at the back door.  I was almost seen!"

Seth was quiet for a moment.  "Mel I swear I had no idea.  How badly does this complicate things?"

Mel blew out an exasperated breath.  "Not much."  She admitted finally.  "I can go in tomorrow night, if I use the time I have now to survey things and alter the plan."

"How badly will that skew the timeline?"

Mel thought for a moment.  "I should only be a day later, no more than two."

"All right, that's well within Chameleon's deadline."

"Chameleon?"

"That's what the client calls himself, don't ask." He waved a hand dismissively.  "Mel, I'm sorry, I honestly had no idea."

"If I didn't believe that Seth, I'd have hunted you down long ago.  I'm going out again, I'll contact you when the job's done."

"Be careful Mel."

"I always am.  Remember, no more contact until I call you, got it?"

"Got it.  Good luck."

"See you in a few days."  Melanie ended the call and leaned against the wall.  Staying there for a few minutes to compose herself, she went over the last hour in her head, already modifying her entry plans.

Finally, she pushed away from the wall and reached for her bag of supplies and secured the strap across her chest.  Checking that her weapons were secure and her hair was pinned up tightly.  She pulled a mask over her head and went to the window.  "Once more into the breach."  She murmured before she pushed herself off the ledge and into the night.

To Be Continued…


	2. Making the First Move

Standard Disclaimer:  Well, this is going to get monotonous…  *sigh*  I own nothing pertaining to Gundam Wing!  If I did, do you think I'd be writing fanfiction?  No! I'd be cranking out more manga and anime so _everybody_ can see me torture these people while I make an actual profit!  College is expensive, ya know…

AN:  Two chapters in one sitting?  Don't get used to it, I will _try_ to update every week or so, but that depends on how cruel my professors are feeling and on the actual demand for the story itself.  

A great big thank you to my beta and muse, Niko, especially for helping me figure out how to start the next chapter.  *Snicker*  It should prove…interesting…

Choosing Sides: Chapter 2

Making the First Move

~Preventer headquarters, 1:07 am~

Wufei stared at the files that littered the desk in front of him.  Two days worth of research, and only three references to a man calling himself Chameleon.  They were far outdated too, the most recent account occurring just after the war with Mariemaia two years ago.  Since then the only references they could find were vague rumors about this elusive figure.  

One would assume he wasn't that much of a threat, but with the recent death of two fairly prominent Preventors, chaos had erupted.  Every Preventer now had to report on their movements practically every hour, and the security measures at headquarters had been changed drastically to the point that Wufei was now forced to head the midnight watch, a fact that didn't thrill him in the least.  

Even the Gundam pilots were being affected; they were all rearranging their schedules and arriving later in the morning, even Barton, who Lady Une had finally tracked down.  Hopefully they could track this Chameleon down soon before Preventors were forced to start wearing homing beacons!

The sound of the office door being slammed open caused Wufei to scowl darkly at the intruder, one of the security guards that was supposed to be watching the back door.  

"What are you doing away from your post?" Wufei demanded.

"Sir, there's been a security breach!  An intruder is somewhere on the premises."

Wufei sighed.  This was just what he didn't need at the moment; he had too much to do. He gave the orders to secure the building and begin a floor-by-floor search to find whomever it was who had broken in.  The soldier ran out to relay the orders and Wufei went to search his side of the floor to ensure the intruder wasn't anywhere nearby.    
  


When he received word that the intruder couldn't be found his temper began to rise. He couldn't believe the incompetence of the search team.   
  


He glared at the soldier on front of him who had given him the news. "Very well, make sure _all_ exits are sealed and search every floor again. Including the basement, storage areas and the roof if necessary; I want this intruder found!!"  
  


"Yes sir, right away sir!" The soldier left the room quickly.  
  


Wufei growled inwardly.  It was looking to be a long night.

Melanie stayed crouched low in the hiding spot she'd found in an empty office.  She forced her breathing to stay low and quiet as she listened to footsteps pounding down the hallway.  She repeatedly cursed herself, and the Preventor who'd chosen the worst time to have to take a bathroom break.  Luckily it occurred _after_ she'd downloaded all the information that the client wanted, but the Preventor's cry of alarm sent other operatives running in her direction. 

Wasting no time, she had run from the computer terminal she'd been using to the nearest stairwell.  Hearing the sound of running feet coming from below she ran up to the next floor.  Once there, she'd raced down the darkened hallway and into the first unlocked office she could find.  She had thrown the lock shut and ran to hide in the first place she could think of, under the desk. 

Now she held her breath as she heard the doorknob rattle.  Closing her eyes she braced herself for the door to be opened and for her hiding place to be discovered.  Luckily whomever it was searching this hallway assumed if the door was locked, no one could get in.  That would buy her precious little time, but it was something at least.

Crawling out from under the desk, she cautiously looked around, on full alert incase someone jumped out of the closet or anything of the like.  Taking time to transfer the disk with the information to her pocket and to make sure her knife sheath was secured tightly to her belt, she looped the strap of her bag over her shoulder and crept to the door.  Cautiously glancing out she breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of an empty hallway.  

Opening the door, she made her way back to the stairwell, all senses on high alert.  She winced at the slight creak of the door opening.  The echo of footsteps was disconcerting; she couldn't determine which direction they were coming from at first.  When she realized they were coming from below it was almost too late, but she fled, running up the stairs as fast as she could, not stopping at any floor but heading straight up towards the roof.

Slamming the door open she was met with a discouraging sight. Half a dozen Preventors were waiting for her as she came outside, and all of them had guns pointing at her.  She could hear another group racing up the stairs after her and swallowed hard.  This did not look good.  

Thinking fast, she threw her bag at the formation, causing them to scatter.  She dove at the man nearest her and sent them both tumbling, wrestling for the gun he held. She was grabbed immediately and thrown off of her victim.  After doing a few wild rolls in midair, she landed on her feet, with her back to the ledge of the roof.  She spared a sharp glance behind her, seeing only empty space with a pile of boxes at the foot of the building.  A plan was forming, but it would no doubt lead to the loss of life.  She cursed inwardly; she hated to kill innocent people. 

Bracing herself, she faced off against her opponents once more.  She waited to see who would attack first. She didn't have long to wait.  Instead of attacking, a voice full of authority, and more than a touch of arrogance rang out.  "Step away from the ledge and put your hands above your head."

She turned to face the speaker and shock coursed through her veins even as a brief scene of vengeance against Seth danced through her head.  Chang Wufei, the _ex_ Gundam pilot she _wouldn't_ run into was here, and apparently in charge of the situation.

_'Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!!! I am in deep shit!!'_  The thought raced through her head like a mantra.  She knew of his purported fighting skills, and she wasn't sure she'd be able to match him if it came down to facing him in a fight.  Suddenly reckless stupidity seemed like a very viable option.

"You are under arrest for the unlawful entry of a government sanctioned building.  Step away from the ledge and put your hands above your head!"  Wufei repeated.  

He was glad that the incompetent staff he was working with had finally come through and tracked the thief down.  Now he just had to allow the thief to surrender, handcuff him, and put him in a cell until morning when questioning could commence.  He frowned when there was no compliance to his orders.  Was this intruder deaf or just stupid?

He was shocked to hear a low chuckle emanating from the direction of his captive.  A low husky voice rang out "Well…that _is_ one option…" before the figure turned and raced for the ledge.  Gunshots rang out and the captive stumbled briefly before reaching the edge, where he proceeded to leap onto the ledge and throw himself off the building.

Wufei ran to the ledge in time to see the prisoner land in a pile of empty boxes at the bottom of the building. He was amazed to see the figure below stagger to his feet and take off running through the alley.  Stopping only to yell into his radio, "All Preventers to the east perimeter, intruder is on foot!" he ran for the door.

Melanie felt every bone in her body jolt with the impact of her landing.  She sucked in a breath and winced at the pain it caused.  Feeling a burning in her left arm, she realized she'd been shot.  She staggered to her feet and grabbed for the gun in her shoulder holster beneath her jacket.  Snapping off the safety, she stopped only to drop the disk in small niche in the wall before she took off running down the alley.  If luck was with her, she'd be able to double back for it.

She turned the corner only to slam into a body running the other way.  Her gun went flying from her hand and she landed hard on top of the person she'd run into.  She looked down. It was Wufei.

_'Well this is just perfect.'_ She thought wryly as she scrambled to get up and go for her gun, dodging his hands as they grabbed for her. She didn't get far; she was tackled from behind by two other Preventors and landed hard on her stomach.  Without thinking, she reached around for her knife and slashed at the nearest body.

A scream of pain and the gleam of red on the blade told her she found her mark. She stood up slowly and watched the remaining Preventers surround her once again. She knew she wasn't going to get out of here without killing a few of them, and that gave her a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.  Ignoring the waves of pain that rushed through her body, she crouched low and braced herself for an attack.  

It never came.  A pair of exceedingly strong arms grabbed her from behind.  She struggled and tried to lash out with her knife.  Wufei took the opportunity to grab it from her hand.  She stared at him angrily through the eyeholes of her mask.  She attempted to kick him, but he dodged easily and nodded to the man that was holding her.

"You're early, Yuy."

_'Yuy?  Please don't mean Heero "Perfect-fucking-soldier" Yuy!'_  Mel fervently begged silently, realizing that was probably who it was anyway.  His answer only confirmed it.

"Hn."  

_'Well, fuck.  This complicates things.'_

Wufei reached up and yanked Melanie's mask off.  Her hair, which had only been secured in a loose knot in the first place, came free and cascaded down her back.

"An onna?"  Wufei sounded outraged and shocked.  Through sheer force of will, Melanie kept her mouth shut and merely glared.

Wufei nodded to a pair of Preventers behind him who came forward and handcuffed her.  "Take her to a cell and post extra guards.  Keep a close watch on her."

They complied and Melanie was quickly searched and led away.  She tossed her head and spared one backward glance towards her captors.  Heero and Wufei watched in silence as she was led into the building.

After she was placed in a cell and the door was slammed shut behind her, she finally sank down and gave herself a quick examination.  Her shoulder throbbed where the bullet had pierced her skin, but it didn't look like it had gone in too deep and had in fact left an exit wound.  It had really only grazed her.  With a sigh of relief at the realization that she wouldn't bleed to death, she performed a mental checklist to determine where else she was injured.  Her entire body ached from the landing into those damn boxes, but she didn't think anything was too damaged.  Of course there were always internal injuries she couldn't feel…

Melanie shook her head; she didn't have time to think about that.  With a sigh she gingerly sat on the small cot in the room and let the thought that had been swimming in her subconscious slowly surface.

'What the hell am I supposed to do now?'

~8:05 am, Preventer headquarters, Earthsphere~

Lady Une looked over the report from the incident earlier in the morning and glanced up at Wufei and Heero.

"Do we have any idea what this woman was after?"

"No, she was searched thoroughly and the only items we found on her were weapons."  Wufei answered.

Une sighed, "Do you think she may be connected with this Chameleon?  Perhaps she was sent to kidnap another operative."

"No, it doesn't fit.  There was too much security, the other Preventors were taken from their own homes and caught off guard with no witnesses.  Coming to Preventor headquarters to take another operative is too risky."

Before Lady Une could respond her intercom buzzed and her secretary announced the arrival of three young men who were waiting to see her.

"Well, it appears reinforcements have arrived." She murmured.  Pressing the intercom button she ordered her secretary to send them in.

Duo strolled in first, followed by Quatre and Trowa.  He shot a grin to Heero and Wufei. "Hey, Heero, Wu-man, long time no see!"

"Maxwell."  Wufei growled.  Heero simply nodded.

Short greetings were exchanged before Lady Une told them why they were there, beginning with the disappearance and death of the two Preventers and ending with the situation that had only just occurred recently.  

"So in short gentlemen, the Preventers need your help.  We have no idea who this Chameleon is, or what he has planned, but it's something big.  Will you help us?"

"Let me get this straight."  Duo tried to keep from grinning, "Wufei was outrun by a girl!  Sheesh, what's the world coming to?"

"Duo! Please, this is a serious matter."  Quatre admonished, trying to prevent any further agitation.  He turned to Lady Une, "I'll help in any way I can."  Trowa nodded in agreement.

"Count me in too." Duo added.  "This sounds important."

Lady Une smiled, "Thank you.  The most logical step would be questioning our current prisoner.  She's been taken to an interrogation room down the hall.  Shall we?"  She stood and led the way.

Melanie dozed lightly after her capture, only to be awakened by the door opening and two Preventers coming in to take her to a different room.  She was led to a small room with a table, two chairs and one-way window.  She realized it was an interrogation room of sorts and sighed.  She was about to be questioned. Oh joy.

She waited for an indeterminable amount of time before the door opened and several people filed in.  She sat up straighter in her chair and placed her shackled hands on the table, lacing her fingers together almost primly.

There were only three people present, two women, a blonde and a brunette, and a blonde man she recognized instantly as Quatre Rebarba Winner.  His cargo shuttles were always in high demand.  She realized that if he was here, the other pilots were probably behind that one-way mirror watching what was going on.  

She was right.  Heero, Duo, Trowa and Wufei were watching the interrogation from the other side of the glass, waiting to go in if needed.  Duo as usual was making his own observations.  

He let out a wolf whistle as he took in sight of the prisoner who, in visible light was quite obviously female.  Dressed all in black, she had long black hair with streaks of blue throughout the mass.  He couldn't get a good look at her eyes, but her skin was a pale, milky white and she looked to be in great shape.  Overall, she was put together very nicely.  

"Man, she can break into my building any day."  
  
"Shut up Maxwell."

"Ooh, touchy.  What's the matter Wu-man, upset because a girl got past you last night?  Don't worry you caught her after a while anyway."

"Maxwell…" Wufei growled ominously.

"They're starting."  Trowa commented, drawing attention back to the scene in front of them.  Lady Une was preparing to question the prisoner with the help of Sally and Quatre.  They waited to see what the questions would reveal.

Melanie eyed her captors suspiciously.  She caught Quatre studying her out of the corner of her eye and turned to stare back at him.  He blushed slightly at her direct gaze and she smirked quickly before making her face blank once again.

"What's your name?"  Lady Une asked the first question.

_'So it begins.'_  Melanie thought.  She kept silent.

"What were you doing here at one in the morning?"

Silence.

"Who sent you?"

Still silence.

Lady Une sighed and looked to Sally and Quatre for help.

Quatre stepped forward.  "Miss, we need you to answer these questions, you're facing some pretty serious charges.  If you cooperate, we can try to get you leniency."

Melanie stared down at her intertwined hands.  Sweat was beginning to trickle down her spine. She was finding it difficult to breathe and her arm wound was throbbing even more incessantly than last night.  Finally she composed herself and tilted her head up to stare full force at Quatre.

Quatre met her gaze and almost flinched at the strength in the frosty depths.  Her eyes were a unique silver color, not grayish silver like some others had been described, but an actual silver.  She said nothing but the look in her eyes spoke volumes.  They wouldn't get any information she wasn't willing to give.

Lady Une tried a different tactic.  "Do you know anyone by the name Chameleon?"

Melanie continued to stare at Quatre, and he caught the imperceptible flinch at the mention of the name.  She quickly turned her gaze back to the tabletop and concentrated on keeping her breathing slow and even.  

Inside her mind was racing, wondering just who Seth had mixed himself up with this time.  It was now vitally important that she reach him and soon.  If the Preventors were wondering about this guy Chameleon, he had to be involved in something big.  She closed her eyes and brought to mind the various files he'd wanted from the database trying to find anything that looked remotely suspicious, but she drew a blank.  All she could focus on was the sharp pain burning through her arm and the incessant ache throughout her body.  

She was slammed back to the present when a hand landed on her injured left arm.  She tried to bite back the groan, but barely succeeded. A strangled gasp escaped turning all eyes on her.  The Preventor who'd grabbed her arm let go and stepped back.  He looked down at his hand and announced in surprise.

"It's blood.  Her jacket's sticky with it."

Melanie stood abruptly as Quatre made his way around the table.

"Stay away from me!"  She ordered.  The room started spinning and she struggled to keep her eyes from drooping shut.

Quatre held his hands out in an attempt to show he wasn't going to hurt her.  "It's all right, Miss, we just want to see how badly you're hurt so you can be treated."

Melanie backed into a corner and leaned into the wall for support.  "I'm fine.  Don't come near me."

The door opened and she watched as four more men entered.  She recognized Heero and Wufei from earlier and only vaguely realized that the other two were probably the other Gundam pilots.

_'Boy do I feel special.'_  She thought numbly.

"We've sent for a doctor."  Wufei told Lady Une.

"No doctor!"  Melanie all but shouted.  "I'm fine."

"Then let us see your arm."  Quatre responded.  "So we can see for ourselves."

Melanie watched the room spin and ordered herself not to be sick.  Somewhere in the back of her mind she registered the fact that she was probably running a fever, but it didn't seem to mean much at the moment.  

"Can't take it off."  She replied to Quatre's request.

He frowned.  "I realize you're handcuffed, but we can't remove your restraints.  Just lower the jacket off of your shoulders, that should suffice."

"It's stuck."  Melanie managed to get out before she lost her battle with consciousness and fainted.  

Quatre moved swiftly and caught her before her head could hit the floor. He lowered her to the ground slowly and attempted to peel the jacket off of her left shoulder.  It was indeed stuck.  With a wince and a silent apology he yanked it off quickly, breaking the seal the dried blood had created on her arm.

He studied the wound.  "Why did no one say she'd been shot?"

"She showed no sign of being injured last night."  Wufei responded.  "She fought hard not to be captured.  I'm sure that's not the only injury she sustained."  he added.

"What makes you say that?"  Duo wondered.

"She did jump off the roof in her attempt to escape."

"Wow, superbabe."

"Shut up Maxwell."

"How bad is it?"  Lady Une asked Quatre.

"I can't tell how much blood she's lost, she's wearing too much black." he answered as the doctor came in.

He quickly took charge of the patient and ordered the handcuffs off so he could examine her better, hastily removing the jacket the rest of the way from Melanie's arm.

Her arm was a swollen mess and had started bleeding again when the jacket was removed.  After applying a temporary dressing to the wound, the doctor had Melanie placed on a stretcher and taken to the hospital wing, with orders that she was to be restrained at all times, whether she was conscious or not.  

After she had been taken, Lady Une looked to the pilots and Sally.  "Any opinions?  Observations?"

"Nice legs."  
  
"Duo!" 

"Sorry, just an observation."

Quatre sighed.  "She's disciplined.  She won't tell you anything she doesn't want you to know.  You have to find a way to get her to understand the severity of the situation."

"She's fast and agile, strong for a female."  This from Heero.

"She obviously knows what she's doing, too."  Duo added, saying something serious for the first time since he had arrived.  "The security here is hard to crack, she's got to be a professional, probably one of, if not the best in the business."

"The question is, did she come here on her own, or was she hired out?"  Trowa stated.

"For now, try to find out what she was here for.  Run a detailed scan on the computer system.  Don't overlook anything."  Une ordered.  Sally and Wufei left to comply.  She turned to the rest of the pilots.  "The rest of you will be supplied with rooms and all the information we have on this so-called Chameleon.  Hopefully you'll give us a fresh angle and a new perspective.  That's really all we can do for now."  

The group disbanded in silence.

~L4, Melanie's house, 7:38 pm~

Seth paced worriedly in the living room, wondering why Melanie hadn't contacted him yet.  She was supposed to have finished the job last night.  She should have checked in by now.  He didn't want to contemplate the idea that she may have been captured, or worse, killed.  She was just too good for that, but still, he worried. Granted, there was still time.  There was at least 8 days before the client's deadline ran out, and Mel always delivered, but she always kept her word, too, and she _had_ promised to call him when the job was finished.

He checked the computer screen for the sixth time in the last half hour, but there was still no message waiting.  With a frustrated sigh, he resumed his pacing.  He knew Mel would never renege on the deal, nor would she stop for any form of entertainment until the job was done.  That only left other, unpleasant possibilities, none of which Seth wanted to even contemplate.  

Finally, he walked over to the front window and stared at the empty street.  _'C'mon Mel, give me some sign you're out there and you're ok.  The clock's ticking.'_

To Be Continued…


End file.
